Karaoke Forums

I'd like to see how everyone would handle the following scenario. Your gig is in a hotel lounge. They DO NOT have an explicit lyrics policy. Some of the crowd is regular karaoke singers, some not so regular, and about 50% are staying at the hotel, or are just visiting the lounge. Age of crowd of NON singers are 35-65 years old. Age of singers are 20's to 50's. Pool table, darts, multiple tvs. Everyone is drinking, singing, having a good time. A few "shockers" come in and mingle with the regulars, and BAM, the mood of the show has just taken a 360 degree turn. You've just received a SERIES of song requests from the SHOCKERS table. The songs are the MOST explicit that you have. My question is what would YOU do?

Srnitynow

Assuming it's "prime time" and not 1:00am "YOU" need to have your own pre determined policy regarding thos type of songs. Look over your crowd and gauge if any customers would be offended by the lyrics. Look over your crowd to make sure no children are present. And lastly I would try to determine if these SHOCKERS were selecting these songs just for the SHOCK VALUE trying to see what they could get away with. ME personally would ask them to pick other songs explaining that due to the diversity of the venue (HOTEL LOUNGE) is not the best place for EXPLICIT LYRIC songs.

Just explain that those songs are not available at that venue. If they can't accept that, point out the mix of the crowd. Offer to help them find another song.
If they complain to the manager, tell the manager why you did it.
It's better to hang on to the crowd you've got than to run them off by catering to "shockers."

Yeah, this is a really tough situation. To me, if it's NOT a bar or private party where you know the crowd pretty well. It's just NOT a good idea to allow that kind of "shock value" songs. I'd simply say, NO...it's NOT allowed at this venue or this time. MrD

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[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
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I would ask the management/owners what they deem appropriate or inappropriate for their venue so things fall into their hands if someone complains.

I have sign on my viewer screen that reads " absolutely no F-bombs and go easy on the profanity please" -something that i made in agreement with the owners.

I also removed a bunch of "shocker" songs that had the potential to offend...not worth it.

This ain't gonna happen in 99% of the hotel lounges, especially the chains. I always ask about explicit lyrics my first time in a venue, and ask 'em to give me a "movie rating" (G, PG, PG-13, R, anything goes) to guide me.

Even if there's no formal policy, this gives the manager or owner a chance to think about the image they want to project.

That being said, most people are quite willing to edit themselves, and the result can be hilarious if they do a song and have to NOT say every third word or so.

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Dave's not here.

I consider my show as a face for the establishment. If upon a quick evaluation of the room I find that there are people present who obviously would NOT be impressed by that type of music I would simply disallow it - I know most managers would be happy to play bad cop if it means their bottom line for the night is going to be higher. There is no point in alienating listeners, and those shocker singers can go someplace else and amuse themselves and a different audience. As an aside, those shocker singers often have behavior issues in public as well, so I'd go to each of them and mention, "You know, I just looked on my list of songs that management has disallowed and your song is on it...do you want to choose another song?" If they get ticked at that suggestion, you don't want them there anyway.

If at the time there is a manager presents, I would have a 1-minute chat about the situation and get their endorsement to disallow certain songs.

Curious. Is this a scenerio? Or were you actually put in this situation? You got the gig by doing what you feel is right. You have to stay with that, which means it can change from night to night. Your experience with different crowds dictates what you should do. If it's to offensive though, I do like the: ask them to change songs route.

Actually, this is not a hypothetical situation, it is a real life situation. Not my show, but a show that I frequent. Just thought I'd get some feedback on this situation. It MAY help me in the future. Thanks

Srnitynow

If it's anything goes, then I'd simply spread the shockers apart..... far apart....

Since you said that the shockers aren't necessarily the regulars, who cares?

Two questions immediately pop into my mind in a situation like this. What's the entertainment value to the show, and are these folks regulars? We are so use to trying to please people, we can sometimes loose focus on the big picture in situations like this.

If I feel the entertainment value on a song like this is not going to be there (i.e. intoxication and vulgar), and they aren't regulars, I nix the song. I will very politely ask that they make a different selection... especially if its a whole table full. NO ONE wants to hear that vulgar crap one song after the other, in any venue. Its too much. Once in a while, ok.

"Ode to my Car" is great, and I love it... but I would not want to hear a table full of Adam Sandler songs in a row. Once per rotation is about my limit, and I will assume the same for the audience. Too me, that's the best gauge a KJ can use, when deciding to nix a song... how do YOU feel about it personally? If it "feels wrong" it probably is. Trust your feelings, and do what you think is right for the show. You have a responsibility not just to the individual who requested the song, but to everyone in the bar... singers and non-singers alike to keep the show entertaining.

If they don't like, too bad. If they get belligerent... they don't sing. If its close to the end of the night... and I think there might be an issue... I just "loose" the song slips. "Ooops, I ran out of time for those songs guys... come back next week and put the songs in a little earlier...."

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Those are all good answers to your question above. I'm wondering though if it isn't your show how much you can actually do.

As a host I get a gut feeling sometimes that certain songs are going to drive away business. I find most people are understanding if you ask them nicely to not do certain songs. They usually don't want to offend people either. Not to mention singers would rather please a crowd than drive them away. Some nights those type of songs actually work with the crowd, so I simply ask if they can hold off on those songs until there is a more receptive crowd.

If it never seems like it is appropriate disallow the songs period.

Is there a manager of the bar or is it a small lounge? Usually in hotels there is just a hotel night manager that would have no clue about the workings of a karaoke crowd. I'd do what I knew was good for the situation than to talk to a night manager unless the manager comes to me and asks for sensoring. No offense to night managers of hotels, but in my experience they know only how to manage hotels not bars.

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If it's in the book, they should be able to sing it.

What is everyone's reaction when you order something you were REALLY craving from a menu, and the waiter tells you they don't serve that?

"Then WTF is it in the F'N munu."

Right?

Same thing with karaoke. If it's on the menu, and you have it in stock, you better be ready to serve it!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I'm not really looking to do anything about this situation, (since it's not my show) just getting points of view from the hosts on the forum.

Srnitynow

Wow, twice in one week I disagree with ya. Sorry.

First of all, when I do a new place, I go there beforehand to see what goes on. I have an out of town gig coming up (my first out of towner) and I will visit there this weekend to check it out.

Second, I will ask whoever paid me, what their thoughts are.

Third, if it is in my book, doesn't mean it's open game, as stated in my book, I reserve the right to not allow the request. Call it lazy or whatever but I'm not going to have a set of books rated G, one rated PG, one rated R, etc etc.

If the person who paid me says it is ok or it is up to me, I will still judge by the room whether to allow or not. Personally, I don't care, but I don't care for the screamers that love to just scream out the f bomb over and over or go into a little rant like a rocker with f bombs. Rattles my chains.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

I'm with ripman on this one. Just because it's in the book doesn't mean it's fair game. I can't afford to print a different set of book for every scenario I may come across.
I would nix the song and explain to them that the song isn't appropriate for the crowd and suggest they pick another. If they get angry,then they don't sing and you probably didn't want them there anyway.

I'm also in agreement with Ripman. I handle it the same way.

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Swing Time Karaoke

Good opinions here. I am going to reprint my books this week so it looks as if i'm going to do a major re-editing job and take out A LOT of offensive, tradional, standards, musical/broadway, and sappy-azz songs that rarely ever get done anyways.

Even thinking of removing a couple hundred s-l-o-w classic country songs, as only newer country gets done here, and that's not even very often.

It's the SLOW SLEEPER SHOW KILLERS (songs) that get on my nerves and put the crowd and staff asleep. If ya want to sing "the rose" or "my heart will go on", do it in your car or shower!

I had to laugh when I read the last post about removing unsung stuff. My book would probably be 100 pages instead of close to 300 if I did that - what a novel idea. The more I think about it, the more ticked I get about having to buy a TON of unsung songs to get a few that I wanted. The ratio is TOTALLY backwards on the CDGs that have been sold in the past. (2 get sung 14 don't, instead of 14 do, 2 don't)

Yeah Karen, it almost seems wasteful to not offer those TONS of unused songs, but i think efficiency is key and having more books with less pages is a good idea, as is, not offering the show killer or offending songs.

One of my up-selling points was offering the venues here in hawaii "one of the largest and most diverse selections of karaoke on the island", as well as other things of course, but MOST songs never even get touched on.